C.S. Porter: Salt on her Tongue

Homicide Detective Kes Morris has been cleared to get back on the job. A problem with little white pills had her in rehab and on extended medical leave. She’s chomping at the bit to be back and working in the city on a murder case.

What she gets is a missing person case in Spectacle Harbour far outside of the city. A senator’s daughter is out of touch and this case requires the utmost tact. Morris isn’t good at either of these things.

She arrives in the fishing village as they are gearing up for a busy season. The boyfriend of the senator’s daughter is perplexed as to what happened and there was only one sighting of the girl – at the harbour as a boat was pulling in.

Few threads, and a then a body in a wrecked boat. The local chief of police seems intractable but then so is Morris. She may not have wanted this case but her teeth are in it now.

Morris’ personal life is wretched. Her addiction caused custody issues with her daughter Olivia, and her relationship with her ex-husband Henry is testy at best.

Salt on her Tongue is such a well visualized book. In particular, one scene has Morris on the phone with Henry trying to explain why she couldn’t pick-up Olivia. At the same time outside the window, she observes ducks in an altercation, rising, chest high out of the water, wings beating.

The rhythm of the back and forth between these two situations is skillfully and beautifully constructed and I read it more than once. A well recommended read.